-
It's been rumoured on the QPR messageboard; now it's in the newspaper!
Daily Mail/Bob Cass - QPR's billionaire owners ready to splash out on Figo
The billionaires of Queens Park Rangers are close to completing the extraordinary signing of former Real Madrid star Luis Figo.
QPR owners Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone and steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal believe the 35-year-old former world player of the year can spearhead a return to the Premier League next season under the management of Italian Luigi De Canio.
Talks between Rangers and Figo's representatives have been taking place over the past few weeks and only minor details need to be cleared up before the Portuguese midfielder makes the switch from Inter Milan when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Figo, who left Real Madrid in 2006, has made 18 appearances for Inter this season and was on the verge of joining Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad last summer before pulling out of the deal.
He kicked off the era of the galacticos at Real Madrid when he joined in a hugely controversial £35 million deal from hated rivals Barcelona in 2000, which enabled Florentino Perez to be elected as club president and sign Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham in subsequent seasons. He was the 2000 European Footballer of the Year and voted FIFA World Player of the Year in 2001.
Formula One supremo Ecclestone and Renault team owner Briatore have already transformed the west London club with more than £2m of spending in the January transfer window, which has seen the club climb out of the relegation zone in the Championship and make an unlikely push for a play-off. Mail
News of The World - Its QP-Carr
QPR want to sign Newcastle right-back Stephen Carr in the summer.
Republic of Ireland defender Carr played 226 league games for Spurs before making a £2million move to the Toon in 2004.
But he is ready to move back to London and is thrilled at the prospect of joining Rangers, who are co-owned by Formula One billionaires Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briartore.
Carr has struggled with injury this season and made just 12 appearances for Kevin Keegan's struggling team. News of The World
Welcome to QPR REPORT - A completely unofficial and unaffiliated fan site focusing on G-d's Chosen Team, Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) FC. (Visit also QPR Report Messageboard and Follow on Twitter.) QPR Report accepts no sponsorship, advertising or financial contributions. In 2008, QPR Report was named as one of the top two blogs in the Football League